This machine was obtained in 1890 from J. Buncle & Co., of Melbourne, who presumably carried out the work of conversion from an existing B single-line machine.
In this machine the long line of holes measures 12¾
inches, and as there are 64 holes in 100 mm., 128 holes in 200 mm., and 192
holes in 300 mm., the gauge is 12-8, which is practically 12¼,
and is regular throughout the line. Not counting the hole in the back of the
comb, each of the thirteen teeth contains 13 holes gauging 12¾.
Thus the gauge of the machine may be said to be 12¾ x 12¾. The machine was operated by a
treadle.
At first the B1 machine gave small clean-cut holes. Towards the end of 1895 or beginning of 1896 the machine
had become worn, and was fitted with larger pins, for we find a large hole
perforation in the stamps in use about that time.
The B1 machine seems to have been brought into use about the
beginning of April, 1890, since the earliest postmark date of a copy, the ld.,
perforated by this machine is 8th April, 1890, as recorded in the Stamp
Collector’s Fortnightly, Vol. IV., page 139.
The machine was used to perforate the vertical columns of
stamps in the sheet, and at each end of the long line of holes there were
certain spare holes which partly perforated the upper and lower margins, and so
facilitated the separation of stamps from the sheet. At first there were nine
spare holes at each end of the line, subsequently reduced to seven, possibly
owing to the sheets coming apart too readily in the former case.
Now, imagine this vertical comb, with teeth to right,
operating on a sheet and working from right to left. On the first stroke of the
machine the teeth will perforate the right margin of the sheet, and the back of
the comb will perforate the right edges of the column of stamps, and also
partly perforate the upper and lower margins. The next stroke of the machine
will complete the perforation of the right column of stamps, and so on to the
completion of the perforation of the left column of stamps.
Thus the sheet will have the impressions completely
perforated, the top and bottom margins being partly perforated through, as also
one of the side margins, the other side margin being left intact.
In January, 1895, when the thick Beer Duty paper was being
used provisionally, great inconvenience was experienced in the first supplies
to the General Post Office by the difficulty in separating stamps in
consequence of the side margin which had not been perforated. This was remedied
by turning the sheet round and passing it through the machine again, the back
of the comb perforating the vertical line a second time, and the teeth
perforating the margin.
The convenience of this practice was at once recognised and
the procedure adopted for future use. Thus all sheets of stamps subsequent to
January, 1895, show a vertical double line of perforation on one of the side
margins. Cases are known in which the perforation of the side margin has been
overlooked, but these are extremely uncommon.
The B1 comb machine, commonly known as the Buncle machine,
was in use from 1890 onwards; in fact it was seen in actual working by a member
of the Committee early in 1924.
Perforation pull for the B1 Buncle Comb 12.75 Perforation Machine
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